header - updates

Sasiano

Share

In August 2008, 12-year-old Sasiano Nchoe died after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM). Although Kenya banned FGM in 2001, it is still practiced widely in certain communities - including among the Maasai - and the law is not well-implemented.

Sasiano's case: Death from Female Genital Mutilation in Kenya

Though Sasiano was buried, her body was exhumed for examination after Equality Now’s partner organization, the Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative, became involved and alerted the authorities. As a result of the autopsy, the person who subjected Sasiano to FGM, Nalangu Ole Sekut, and Sasiano’s father, Kantet Ole Nchoe, were arrested and charged with manslaughter.

Kenya enforces its FGM ban

The trial was delayed because the accused ran away while out on bail. After we raised the issue of the police’s inaction in implementing Kenya’s anti-FGM law, the Narok police arrested them again. The accused appeared before the Narok court in April 2010 and plead guilty to manslaughter. They were each sentenced to 10 years in prison -- a landmark ruling that demonstrated Kenya’s commitment to enforcing the ban on FGM.